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So what do y'all think? Would you rather carry minimal worn insulation and a thicker TQ, or more worn insulation and a thinner TQ? Pros/cons of each?

in the winter, the less clothes i ware sleeping the warmer i feel. when i get to camp i setup, cook and jump in hammock. i strip down to briefs and wool hat (got a down one for this year). i put clothes under legs and feet to dry. this has got me down to -5. to cut weight for this winter i got the Rocky Mountain Sniveller w/ hood to replace my go-lite adrenaline and puff jacket.(2lb. savings). i'm sticking with the mt. wash 4 uq.

that being said. if i ever got cold i think i would put clothes over or under me, but not wear them.

am i alone on this?

at the winter hang i was cold around camp at nite. did better at the MAHHA. this type of camping is a different animal.

I ran into that at the Mt Rogers hangs, too...I was cold standing around b/c I had packed more like a backpack trip. Not cold at night, just not enough clothes to sit around talking. I brought more warm clothes the next time, and for the Colorado Winter Hang for sure. You're right...it's a different animal.

Re: putting clothes on top, I've down that with jacket. Anything else I just put it on.

“Republics are created by the virtue, public spirit, and intelligence of the citizens. They fall when the wise are banished from the public councils because they dare to be honest, and the profligate are rewarded because they flatter the people, in order to betray them.” ~Judge Joseph Story

Well from my experience your base layer (next to skin) is THE most important one. We all know how it is trying to guess what mother nature is going to throw at us. Sometimes we get it wrong and wear too much. This causes you to sweat in your sleep, as most people do anyway. The important thing is having a base layer that will evaporate any sweat quickly. If not you will wake up cold. We all know that any sweat that is not evaporated quickly can be a serious problem in extreme cold conditions.

I hate the keep harping on this but by FAR the best base layer I have used, and I've tried a lot, is the military surplus Polartec silk weight top and bottoms. It's the 1st layer of the Gen III ECWCS. I can't recall ever waking up wet from sweat while wearing this. Even when I guessed wrong and had to shed a layer in the middle of the night. It's just amazing material that I highly recommend. Where else can you find a "wicking" shirt for less than $20 that's even worth a crap? Let alone sewn to military specs.

My "system" is basically the same ECWCS that the military uses minus their parka. I just use a shell for rain/wind protection.

For three season I always wear my heavy polypro top and bottoms with Columbia expedition weight merino wool socks. I'll use a three season quilt or a SB. I also take the hood off my REI antifreeze jacket and stuff that with balaclava and fleece hat in my peak bag. the jacket lays down by my feet to be grabbed in the night for where ever the cold spots may be. Nest UQ underneith. This works well down to about 25 degrees for a cold sleeper like me. I also stow an extra pair of wool socks in the peak bag.